I just came across an article discussing a different concept: the compact workday. This seemed so relevant in today’s talent market.
As someone who works fully remote, I can justify there are benefits of sometimes meeting colleagues in person occasionally. It can be accomplished by the occasional all-hands onsite, though. Or team gatherings and outings once in a while.
Naturally working in offices 8 hours daily, you make friends, get more face time with Manager and other bosses. Still, companies that do a good job supporting remote work will get the best of both worlds over time: An unlimited and more diverse talent pool and a vibrant office environment. Forcing RTO down employees’ throats now might be counterproductive.
For ages, the standard workweek has been five days, and workdays stretching to 7-8 hours. However, is this model optimizing our productivity, or is it simply a relic of past industrial practices?
The pandemic and post pandemic era has brought about some irreversible mindset changes.
As per an article recently published here are some research findings:
– A recent survey found that 45% of tech workers claim to work only four hours or less a day.
– A separate study reveals that in an eight-hour workday, the typical worker is productive for just over four hours.
Despite the cynicism, models of successful five-hour workdays continue to exist.
Digital Enabler, a German tech company, adopted this model with laser focus on productivity, and they haven’t looked back.
The compact or compressed workday challenges the idea of ‘presenteeism’ and invites us to focus on what really matters—productivity. The discussion is crucial for organizations looking to attract and retain talent, especially when the work-life balance is such a hot topic.
Here are some reasons:
a) Incommensurate Compensation:
How can a company expect employees to be motivated when they see their big bosses raking in millions (or billions) while they struggle to make ends meet? But It’s not about money; is the employee felt respected? Treated with fairness? Managers tend to treat their workers as commodities. When employees feel undervalued and underpaid, motivation and commitment naturally wean away.
b) Denying Flexibility to work remotely:
The pandemic ‘has’ proved most employees ‘are’ productive working from home. However, some leaders stubbornly resist remote work. It’s not just about giving autonomy or flexibility; it’s about trust!
c) Total lack of Accommodating mindset :
Inadequate policies in practice for those with disabilities, neurodivergence, behavioral health and social mingling challenges, and family based medical needs aren’t just unfair; they can be discriminatory.
d) The Myth!
The traditional 8-hour workdays and 5-day workweeks may not fit all in contemporary work style. It’s time companies recognized that productivity isn’t tied to hours clocked in, but to the quality of work.
e) Pointless sense of busyness:
Managers are more often than not overwhelmed by their own sense of busyness. “Because that’s how it’s always been” needs a reality check. For example, nobody wants to waste time on an 80-page PowerPoint deck that serves no real purpose.
In summary, it’s not about worker motivation; it’s about the whole corporate system that needs an overhaul.
Therefore, instead of pointing fingers at workers and questioning their motivation, maybe it’s time we take a hard look at the corporate structures in place and demand a more equitable distribution of wealth as well as opportunities.
Should we rethink our workday? A shorter one may be better. Many firms are changing their work policies after summer. But different countries have different norms and challenges for remote work. The U.S., Canada and UK have more remote workers than many Asian countries, as per The New York Times.
In the U.S. and UK, workers spent an average of five to six paid days a month this spring working from home, says a study.
Pandemic shifts could trim up to $1.3 trillion in real estate value, per a McKinsey Global Institute estimate.
For companies who have invested in large infrastructures and focused of employee retention, it’s funambulism – a sort of tightrope walking.
Shardul Bhatt 